Small scale old age and widow allowance for the poor in rural Bangladesh: an evaluation

Abstract

This study was done to explore the process of targeting, selection and benefits distribution and the use of the allowances, satisfaction, and the association of old age and widow allowances with various factors (e.g., expenditure on food and food intake behaviour, self-reported illness and health-related quality of life). This allowances are provided by the government of Bangladesh to poor widows and the elderly persons (≥65 years). A cross-sectional quantitative survey was conducted in 10 districts of Bangladesh where BRAC RED has been maintaining a demographic surveillance system since 1995 in 52 villages. All evermarried single women irrespective of socioeconomic status and age, and all elderly persons (≥60 years) were sampled for this study totalling 5,524 participants. Of these 4,824 could be interviewed. Non-response rate was 13% for the overall sample (including single women and elderly persons) and 15% among the elderly persons. The findings are organized into two sections: the first section deals with targeting, selection and benefits distribution process while the second section deals with the use of the allowances, their satisfaction with it, and association of the benefit with various socioeconomic factors.